The Overwhelming Response to a High School's "Cutest Couple" Picture Is Completely Wonderful

When a high school class awarded its "Cutest Couple" superlative this year, it was a first...

...the first time a same-sex couple had been considered, and won! Brad Taylor and Dylan Meehan, who clearly are the cutest (love that plaid shirt and those stylish haircuts), were given the honor, and when their friend Chelsea proudly shared their photo on her Tumblr, she got her own surprise when it was shared over 100,000 times. Add me to the list of people who think this deserves to be shared all over the Internet.

This whole thing has been a bit surreal for us because we have been raised to believe that love is love. We never realized that our happiness and openness would inspire so many individuals. The support we have received from our family, friends, and even strangers has led us to believe that our affection for each other is normal....When we started dating a year [ago], the thought of a photo of us traveling throughout the world would be a bit frightening, but now we are proud to be part of the LGBT community.

It's extra nice to hear this story, since in the weeks since I've moved back to New York City, there has been a lot of horrifying news about a recent rash of anti-gay hate crimes. (By May, there were already double the amount of such attacks as there were in 2012!) It's incredibly sad and scary, but that's why it makes me so very happy that for this young couple, the response to their relationship has been one of love and support. Every couple deserves to feel that. Best of luck to these cuties in the future!